Home
by SylphinesBane
Summary: Sequal to the story It Was 2012. Rated M for lemon and a tiny bit of language. While still at the mercy of Those Who Came Before, Connor and Sarah discover the truth of Desmond's ancestry. I do not own any of these characters except Sarah, all Assassin's Creed stuff is owned by Ubisoft.


Sarah tried to pat down the tangled crown she wore on her head as a badge of her encounter with Connor as she made her way out of the labyrinth toward the voices calling her name. She didn't hear him unless she listened closely, but Connor wasn't far behind her, moving with caution, unsure of his steps. She didn't want to look behind her; was he watching her? She snuck a glance and nearly went flying as a chuck of the floor snagged her foot. He easily grabbed one of her flailing arms, catching her before she hit the floor.

"The floor here is rocky." He responded, helping her steady herself. His hand lingered on her arm and she felt as though he was looking right into her eyes. She couldn't focus on his ghostly form in the semi-darkness and then she remembered the Eagle Vision Desmond had described. She quickly turned her head away, suddenly feeling exposed. She had just made love to this man, almost a complete stranger and his glance made her feel naked all over again. She felt a flare of heat to her cheeks at the remembered encounter.

"Are you injured?" He inquired, his voice hinting at concern, derailing her train of though.

"No, I…feel that we shouldn't tell anyone what happened." She blurted.

"You want to keep it a secret? To what end? The spirit spoke to everyone when she said what we would need to do. I will not hide the truth." She cringed at his words, he was right. She didn't want to feel guilty because it had been so perfect, but at the same time, it felt strange to speak so openly about the subject.

"Sarah, Connor, where have you been we've been looking for you both for over an hour." Desmond said as he approached them. Sarah gave him a wide-eyed stare; an hour?! She and Connor had not left the area where Desmond had parted ways with them…Juno….she had somehow hidden them from any prying eyes.

"Sarah and I were occupied." Connor replied matter-of-factly. She was still looking at Desmond and she felt a shift in the air between the three of them. She knew that he could see how Connor was still holding her arm from when she had almost fallen.

"Occupied…" Desmond repeated, slowly almost to himself. He knew. So what, he knew, Sarah thought to herself. Connor _was _right, why hide the truth. The silence that grew after Desmond's comment was deafening until William broke it.

"There you are, we have things to do." He stated to the trio before turning back around the way he had come. Sarah heard his steps stop briefly as though he had turned around to make sure they were following him.

"We should go." Sarah stated, gently pulling her arm free of Connor's hand. She started to pass by Desmond when he stopped her. She was almost afraid he would press the subject and she was ready to defend themselves. She began to form responses to him questions, starting with a kick below the belt; Lucy.

"Let me go first, it's dark and I know the way." He stated, either accepting what Sarah thought he knew, or ignoring it. She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath and she exhaled softy as they three of them entered the main area of the cave. Shaun and Rebecca turned at the sound of their approach and then went back to hovering over the animus where William joined them. He waved them over, but Connor hung back hesitant. Sarah didn't blame him, last time he approached the machine he was thrown across the room.

"Is something wrong?" Desmond asked, craning his neck around the kneeling Rebecca.

"No, at least I don't think so. I was trying to see if the animus was still functioning properly after Connor's appearance and I think I might have found some kind of short. I don't know if it happened because he's here or it was the cause of him being here. I'm still running a diagnostic." Rebecca replied opening the arm compartment and hooking some wires to one of her various computers. Shaun sighed and wandered off back toward the gate he seemed obsessed with studying. Connor watched him stroll off and turned around and followed him. Sarah didn't realize he had left until she heard his voice from a distance. She started to take a step in that direction and then thought the better of it, she didn't need to babysit him. She took herself to the infirmary to do some much needed filing and a shower. She felt that although her face may not betray her foray with Connor, the smell of sweat probably could.

"Shaun…"

"Connor…or would you rather I call you by your real name?" Shaun asked as he knelt in front of the luminescent wall.

"You may call me Connor…" The assassin answered pacing around Shaun, studying him.

"Did you need help with something?" Shaun asked in an irritated tone. He stood and faced Connor, who glared at him from beneath his hood.

"What is this?" Connor asked tersely, his eyes looking at the gate and then back to Shaun. The Brit, eager to show off his knowledge gladly explained that it was a kind of doorway, and that it needed a key to unlock. A key Desmond had been trying to find through Connor. Satisfied with the answers Shaun gave him and ignoring the man's questions, Connor left him to his business and focused his attention on some of the engravings on the walls. While pretending to study the markings, he scanned the room and quickly noticed Sarah was not with the others. Rebecca, William, and Desmond were where he had left them, but Sarah…he felt a strange desire to know where she had gone. As he walked past the three gathered at the animus, William glanced in his direction and then seeing where he was headed, focused back on watching Rebecca work. A brief movement of something near where the three were caught his attention, but was gone when he turned to look at it further.

"You don't need to stand around me like a watch dog…" Rebecca was saying as Connor entered the small alcove where the infirmary sat.

"I'm not." Desmond replied defensively.

"Not you, Desmond….her…."

The room was empty, but noticeably tidier. He began to poke around the room; most of the objects contained within were unknown to him. Sarah had been here though; he remembered how she was cleaning the room the other day when he was still confined to the bed.

"Sarah….?" Connor asked the stillness as he took several cautious strides further into the space. The sound of running water caught his attention and drawn by the sound he walked with purpose toward the bathroom door and swung it open. A warm fog clouded his vision and a gasp of surprise.

"Who's there?!" Sarah demanded, as her head poked from around a curtain, droplets of water cascading down her face and slicking her hair to her head. She visibly relaxed when she saw it was Connor and then became angry.

"Connor, please get out I'm taking a shower." She demanded, blinking beads of water out of her eyes. Her thick lashes clung together as she produced her hand from behind where she seemed to be hiding, and wiped the dribbling water from her face.

"Why?" The innocence of his question surprised her and she actually laughed to herself. Why indeed? She suddenly felt a warm euphoria, sped on by the massaging shower, caress her skin. She closed her eyes and felt the gentle embrace of the steam envelop her and only opened her eyes when a firm pressure met her lips. She lazily glanced to see Connor kissing her and a momentary sense of not be able to control her body caused her alarm. How had he undressed so quickly….?

"Connor…" She started to say, hoping the sound of her voice would break the trance they were falling into again. It did nothing but urge his tongue into her mouth to silence her. His lips left her mouth to travel along her jaw line and then down her neck. He shifted her body and pressed her firmly against the wall of the shower. The cool tile was a slight shock to her steam embraced skin, but Connor began to softly tap his fingers up and down her spine from neck to tail bone sending tendrils of warmth radiating from her back to thaw any coldness she suffered. With his other hand, he delicately held her face as his lips found hers again. He caressed her cheek with his thumb and rubbed harder on her back, pushing her body against his. Her arms found his neck and she wrapped them around it, rubbing her dripping body against his with each deep breath. The calming splatter of water bouncing off her arm as they continued to hold each other was a relaxing sensation. As though sensing her thoughts about the water, Connor guided her to the rear of the shower so that the water was running down his back and not the side of his face. She could feel the hard ripples of his abdominal muscles massaging against her, the solid mass of his chest made her feel small in his arms. She slid one of her arms from around his neck and began to feel her way around his chest. She felt him inhale sharply as she tenderly traced his pectoral muscles and then his nipples. She slowly massaged her hand to his lower back, feeling the gentle splashing of water as it played against him. He released his hand from her cheek and grabbed her hand that had strayed to his back, pressing it back to his chest. He was breathing heavily now, she could hear his intense panting in-between each kiss and the rapid rise and fall of his chest. His kissing became stronger, his lips pressing harder and faster against her own. His now free hand found the soft roundness of her breasts. The familiar touch of his rough hand as it gently cupped her chest, sent shivers throughout her body. His fingers remembering each curve, made their way to her nipples. She then felt her own breathing increase and the gentle press of his hand as it followed the rise and fall of her chest. She pried her palm from his upper torso, stroking where she could feel his heart pounding the fiercest, and journeyed to his abdomen. She risked moving her hand down further, as he suddenly tore his mouth away from hers and tilt his head back in pleasure. She watched him, as the water spilled through his hair, his eyes closed in ecstasy. She softly fondled his manhood, feeling the growing stiffness, as his lips parted further and his breathing began to almost sound labored. He clenched his teeth as his chest heaved, the soft whistle of his gasping breath begin forced through his mouth caused her to apply more pressure. With no warning, Connor pushed Sarah hard up against the wall of the shower and grabbed her upper thigh and pulled himself into the embrace of her legs. He eased her open further, softly taking a handful of her behind and spreading her. He took his other hand from her chest and grasped her forearm, pressing it firmly to the tiled wall. As he pinned her, he leaned in slowly, leisurely allowing his chest to connect with hers. He stopped just before their lips would have touched, and just stared. His eyes roamed over Sarah's face and when their eyes locked he pressed his lips so hard to hers, her head was pushed to the wall, at the same moment he penetrated her. Sarah tried to gasp when he maneuvered inside of her, but he held her lips fast. As he eased himself out of her, her freed her arm and then inserted his fingers deep into her. Sarah moaned loudly into his mouth as she gripped his shoulders, digging her nails into his skin. She could feel his fingers exploring her body; the bliss was intoxicating as well as paralyzing. He was in complete control of her at that moment, eliciting rapid breathing and various tone changes from her throat. Noticing how much pleasure he was giving her, and that he might be overdoing it, he finally pulled his lips and hand from her, moving his mouth to her neck and his hardness firmly inside her again. After several moments of struggling to catch her breath, she relaxed back into the slow steady motion of their joining. She lessened her grasp of his shoulders and once again wrapped her arms around his neck, gently guiding his head around hers. Connor continued to command her legs and even began to thrust harder into her to force her to open herself wider to him. He waltzed his hand against her lower back and gently convinced her body to arch into him and was rewarded with her molding against him and granting him even further access inside her. Her throat abruptly emitted a loud moan of satisfaction and he felt her body shudder and constrict on him. The tight friction was exhilarating, and Connor began to reach his finishing point. He was gasping now as was Sarah, and with one final sharp thrust he detonated inside her, causing her to cry out and climax soon after. He held her against him as she came down of her high, her head against his chest. She could hear the soft beating of his heart as it slowed from the marathon they just ran together.

"I am sorry…" He whispered into her ear, his voice laden with melancholy. The tinge of sorrow that reached her ear swiftly shattered the atmosphere of elation. She quickly pulled away from him and held his face in her hands. He gave her a puzzled look.

"Don't be sorry. Ever." She responded, not knowing what else to say. She almost felt like she spoke too strongly. She would not allow him to bring any feelings of guilt between them; she didn't want to harbor remorse and refused to let him do the same. But why was he sorry? He was sorry they made love for the second time in one day, sorry he might have hurt her, sorry that he couldn't control himself, sorry that the future of their relationship had no future or past? She was thinking this through too much. She wasn't sorry, but she did have an uncomfortable feeling sprouting within her chest. Embarrassment? Sadness that what was happening between them couldn't last.? She touched her abdomen… was this the seed she feared would grow, the gnawing sensation that was slowly devouring her from the inside out…a child…now she knew why he was sorry…

"Connor…" She reached out to him to offer a touch of comfort. If she bore a child, he would probably never see it, He took hold of her hand before it connected with his chest.

"I cannot stay here…" He said turning from her and drawing the curtain aside to step out of the shower. Did he mean with her or here in that time? Either way, she didn't want him to go. She grabbed his elbow, stopping his movement. He glanced at where she held him and then at her face.

"Don't go…not yet." She pleaded, she could tell he was somewhat embarrassed at their fling and he wanted to distance himself, maybe to avoid any emotional attachment, Sarah wasn't sure. He lingered mid-step as though debating what to do, finally yielding to her. She smiled inwardly, she wanted to be near him, they had shared two intimate moments, although somewhat forced, they had not been unpleasant in the least. It had been an unexpected ecstasy, and she felt drawn to him. He was attractive and not just physically. He had an air of danger around him, but she felt safer with him in her presence. She knew from the animus that he was a loyal person, who stood by his beliefs no matter the odds. He had little to no doubts and he was confident. She wanted, no she needed to be near him.

"Sarah?" He asked as she stood there wasting water in the shower with him. She had been so lost in her thoughts about him that was she was ignoring the fact that he was right in front of her. She leaned around him for the luffa sponge and the body wash, as she lathered up the sponge he watched her in curiosity. She replaced the bottle of soap and lifted the luffa to wash his chest and he shifted away from her.

"It's just soap, relax. Do you mind if I wash you? I mean, I came in here for a shower and you interrupted me." She asked innocently with a playful smile on her face. He continued to stare at her with confusion, so instead of waiting for a verbal answer, she tilted forward and pressed the luffa to the center of his chest. She rubbed the soap in circles over his torso, arms and back. She could feel his eyes following her as she scrubbed him down. As she went to rinse the sponge, he plucked it out of her hand and ran in under the water for a few moments before drowning it in suds. He motioned for her to turn around, as repeated the same washing she had just preformed on him.

"There, now you are clean." He stated handing her the luffa and leaving the shower. She could hear him drying off, dressing , and then leaving the room. She stood there alone in the shower, watching the bubbles that were stubbornly clinging to her body being dragged down the drain at her feet. She almost felt hurt at his abruptness, but she realized that was just how he was. Washing off the remaining soap and then shampooing and conditioning her hair, she toweled off, dressed and left the bathroom. As she exited the bathroom she heard a rustling noise and quickly turned to face the direction it was coming from. It was Connor, he had been sitting in a chair and stood when his movement caught her attention.

"William wants to see us…" He said walking past her. His face was unreadable. Her heart jumped into her throat, why did William want to see her and Connor? Did he know? Was he going to scold her for fucking up the time line or something? It's not like the animus was a delorean and she could go back and not sleep with Connor and it's not even like she had a choice, both times were completely out of her control. She rubbed her temples as she walked to where the others were gathered next to the animus. She was running out of space between herself and where the others were huddled to think of any other excuses, when the misty, hovering form of Juno became more solid and…pleased?

"Guardian, you have done as I have asked. Desmond, merely enter the machine to return time as it was and…shall be. " She appeared to nod and smile at Sarah before disappearing.

"What the hell does that mean?" Desmond demanded as soon as she had vanished. He turned on Connor, who stood a few feet away from the others and walked up to him. Connor simply glared at Desmond from under his hood.

"Well, it seems what Connor was sent here to do, he did, or rather who he was sent here to do." Shaun stated bluntly, turning toward Sarah.

"It's true…." Sarah stated before anyone else could speak, "Juno somehow took control of Connor and myself and, well…that's how it happened." She tried to think of a way to sugar coat the situation, but decided to just lay it out there for what it was.

"You mean like what happened to Desmond?" Rebecca blurted out.

"Very nice Rebecca, let's remind everyone of that wonderful and joyous moment." Shaun replied sarcastically. Rebecca apologized after telling Shaun to shut up. Desmond waved it off half-heartedly while William seemed unaffected. Their attention was split between Sarah and Connor.

"Sarah you know this means…." William began gently, as though he didn't want to upset her. She took a deep breath and nodded. She glanced over to Connor who was already moving away from everyone else.

"Connor…" She had to walk quickly to catch up to him as he wandered over to the gate. He turned on her, angry.

"You are with child? Our child?" He seemed furious.

"Connor, I don't know yet. It's too soon to know, but I could be." She was trying to be calm and she wanted to explain, since she knew someone from Colonial times would not understand, especially a man, but her confusion over his anger was pushing her buttons. Annoyed with her answer he continued his walk toward wherever his rage was dragging him. He stopped short as though a thought had suddenly struck him and he stalked up to where she was still standing.

"This child will never know me, it will hate me for leaving it, it will know nothing of my history, of my people, my struggle…" He began, unable to finish the rest of his theory. He wasn't angry at her, he was livid at himself and the situation.

"No, I would never let that happen." She said vehemently, clutching his coat sleeve. He turned his head away from her and was staring in the opposite direction. She shook her head at him, but stopped herself. How would he know, they barely knew each other. She knew him only from what she was told second-handed from the others and the bits she saw from the animus. He knew even less about her. How do you explain to a stranger that you are telling the truth, that you will stay true to your word…

"We assassins know your history, this child will be one of us. And Connor….you are not your father…" She whispered. He snapped his back to her and although hate filled at first, his face softened as her words sunk into his mind.

"I am not." It was as though he had to say the sentence out loud to cement the truth. Although her words seemed to sooth his troubled conscious, Sarah felt as though she had applied a band aid to a mortal wound. He words would only ease the pain, not take it away.

"Connor…" She wasn't sure what she wanted to say and she eyes drifted to the floor. Not that the ground would provide any worthwhile answers, but it was better than staring at him, at the truth. He did not belong and somehow, someday, he would be gone. She watched his feet move away from her and as she looked up, he was already too far to stop. Perhaps distance was the best course, but she felt a twinge of anger that he had no words of comfort to offer her. What could he have said to her anyway? They were merely tools, pawns of Those Who Came Before; they had played their parts in this drama and were patiently waiting to be escorted backstage. The lead actor was Desmond, and only directors knew what in the script was yet to come. That was in the back of everyone's mind, what was Desmond's true part in all of this?

Sarah decided to let Connor be alone with his thoughts and she returned to others. Desmond saw her approach and met her half way.

"Are you ok?" He asked, concerned. Why was he the only one who seemed to give a shit that she had gotten dragged into all of this? She laughed to herself that it took someone to be knee deep in shit to feel sympathy for someone else who standing in the same crap.

"I think so…I don't know Desmond…how do you handle this?" She sighed looking to him for answers or guidance. anything.

"Knowing it will end someday, at least I hope so." He replied, the heavy burden he carried apparent in his voice. He gave her an encouraging smile and left her to her thoughts.

. . .

Frantic screaming echoed through the cave, wrenching all those inside from a somewhat peaceful sleep. Sarah's first thought was that Desmond was having nightmares again, but upon fully waking, the voice did not belong to Desmond and was too close to where she was. Desmond did not sleep in the infirmary with her…Connor! Sarah scrambled out of her blankets, and did her best to command her sleeping limbs to move as fast as her mind was.

"Ista! Ista!" She could hear him wailing in agony. Just as quickly as his bellowing woke everyone, it ceased. Sarah rushed to where she knew Connor was sleeping and she could hear him straining to catch his breath.

"Connor?" She asked fearfully, not wanting to startle him. Who would want to sneak up upon a panicked wolf? The others lacked her tact.

"What the hell is going on? Have we been compromised?" William could be heard shouting into the darkness, the eerie glow of the ancient technology faint in that part of the cavern. Alarm driven foot falls could be heard pounding on the ground as several people met each other at the entrance to the infirmary.

"Everyone stop." Sarah demanded, crawling to find Connor in the semi-darkness, his labored breathing leading her to him like breadcrumbs. She made sure he heard her coming and she gently reached for him.

"I…am…fine." He gasped as Sarah's hand made contact with his bare arm. His skin was clammy to the touch and she heard that he was actually having some difficulty breathing.

"You're not fine…you're hyperventilating." She jumped to her feet and having memorized where the furniture was in the room, she was able to navigate her way to a light. She snapped her head in his direction and saw him shielding his eyes from the sudden illumination, his chest heaving. William and Desmond stood loitering in the entryway, blinking at the harsh glare of the light.

"Help or go." She barked at the two men. The trance that the situation held them in broke hastily at her words and they both came over the where Sarah was now kneeling on the floor by Connor. She grabbed his wrist and held it in her lap as she took his pulse. She felt the rapid beat under her fingers. She lightly touched his shoulder, he felt like he had been sweating.

"Try to relax…Desmond, bring that oxygen tank over here, William if you could please bring some water." Both men were off to do her bidding without a word of complaint as she tried to calm Connor down. He began to wheeze and it sounded like he was actually having an asthma attack. Desmond made a racket dragging the oxygen tank as William carefully handed Sarah a glass of water. She released Connor's wrist and held the glass to his lips. He turned his head away in disgust.

"Connor, I want you to drink some water. Thank you Desmond." She turned her attention to the oxygen, which she began to try and administer to Connor who again, was fighting against her.

"Do you need us anymore Sarah?" William asked seeing the trouble she was having.

"No, if I need you I'll call I can handle him from here, thank you." The two men were hesitant to leave, but they did as she asked. As they left she saw Connor from the corner of her eye, sip at the water she had left on the floor nearby. She smiled to herself as she adjusted the knobs on the tank and then reached to give him the face piece again. He gave her a harsh look and shoved her hand away.

"I wish you weren't so stubborn, this will help you breath, do you want to pass out?" She sighed, her adrenaline from being woken so roughly wearing off and sleep nagging at the back of her mind. He glared at her. Taking his nasty look as a challenge she held the piece to his nose and mouth. She lifted his other hand and had him hold the piece himself while she jogged across the room to grab her stethoscope. At his side again, she placed the instrument against his back and listened. He wasn't suffering an asthma attack, just hyperventilating.

"Easy, easy….try to relax your breathing….slow." She spoke gently to calm him down as she continued to monitor his lung activity. She moved the stethoscope to his chest and could feel the rapid thudding of his heart against the instrument in her hand as the sound pounded into her ears. He was going to pass out if she didn't ease him off this ledge. She ripped the stethoscope out of her ears and slung it around her neck. She grabbed his arm firmly and began to help him lie down.

"I need you to lie down Connor." She said feeling a slight rise of panic that he wasn't responding well to her assistance. She noticed his face was paling and his eye lids began to flutter as though he was fighting unconsciousness. After easing him unto his back she adjusted his oxygen intake, hoping it would force his lungs to relax. Leaning over Connor, she watched him, trying to spot even the tiniest change. He turned his head away from her uncomfortable under her scrutinizing eyes, but she seized the side of his face and forced him to look at her.

"I need to see your face…more importantly your eyes." She scanned the room for her pen light and found it lounging on a table. She stood to grab it when she felt Connor snag her arm. She glanced at him and his face seemed to say, wait. She gave him a reassuring smile as she snatched the tiny light and bent over his prostrate form. His pupils weren't dilating very quickly and she knew he might faint. She again regulated his oxygen intake and after a few moments she noticed that his breathing was calming down. She listened to his chest again and then pressed the stethoscope to each side of his ribs to get an idea of how his lungs were responding. She touched the hand that was holding the mask to his face and he removed it.

"How are you feeling?" He began to sit up but she urged him back down with her hand to his chest. She repeated the question.

"I am feeling better, thank you." He responded in a raspy voice. He cleared his throat and started to sit up again.

"Connor…" She began but he was persistent and waved her off. He grunted as he sat up, shrugging her off a second time as she tried to help him. He located the glass of water and began to drink. She watched him and satisfied that he was indeed fine, she put everything back in their proper places. She stood in front of one of the many cabinets in the room and with her back facing him dared to ask,

"What were you yelling?" She expected the silence her gave her as an answer. What she did not anticipate was turning around and finding him standing right behind her. Connor was holding the empty glass and he placed on the cabinet she had stumbled into in a moment of shock.

"Mother…" He replied, emotionless, meeting her eyes for a brief moment before breaking away from their closeness. Her surprise upon being snuck up upon wearing off; she followed him back to his pallet on the floor. He gave her a hard glare as though asking why she was trailing him.

"Has that happened before?" The fierce glower her shot at her was mixed with confusion. He didn't understand what she was talking about.

"That has not happened to me in the past." He answered flatly, clearly wanting to change the subject. He began to settle himself back into his makeshift bed, rolling onto his side away from Sarah.

"I guess everything that has been happening is stressful….I can give you something to help you sleep Connor…" She offered his back.

"No thank you." She shrugged to herself and tiptoed over the cold floor when suddenly a dizzying pain slapped her in the face. She lost her footing, but was able to catch herself on the sole bed in the room. Connor was at her side in an instant.

"Sarah!" His voice was strained, echoing her agony. The pain stabbed at her abdomen and coursed up into her chest to her head. She cried out, falling to her knees, And just as quickly as the torture began, it vanished. Sarah lay in the fetal position on the floor, shaking, drenched in her own sweat. After a few agonizing gasps, she dragged her body to a sitting position. Connor was nearby, faring slightly better than her, but he had suffered the same sudden onset of torment. He was on his hands and knees, chasing frantically after his breath. He dragged himself to where she was still shivering on the floor, spasms still wreaking havoc on her weakened body. She made no protest when he lifted her effortlessly into his arms and carefully eased her into the bed.

"Holy shit, what happened? Are you ok?" Desmond asked appearing at Sarah's side. Unable to find her voice, she nodded in reply, feeling completely drained. She heard Connor mentioning something about letting her rest before sleep consumed her.

. . .

Was it day…or night? So hard to know when living underground. Her body ached as though she had been tensed into one position for hours. As the remnants of sleep evaporated, Sarah realized that she was still lying where Connor had left her. The familiar bed supporting her exhausted body. She risked moving, to stretch her knotted limbs and was welcomed with stiffness and dull twinges of pain. Her eyelids felt glued shut and as she pried them open, she saw Connor sitting at her side. When she tried to sit up he held her fast to the bed and shook his head.

"How long…?" She croaked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"A day." She pulled her hands from her face as his simple statement, which shocked her into full wakefulness.

"Is she awake?" A male voice asked, followed by footsteps and then William's face. He wore the fatherly mask as he came to the side of her bed.

"She is tired." Connor protested roughly. William gave him a brief glance before turning his attention back to Sarah. She could feel Connor tense next to her.

"Do not test me." Connor snarled as Sarah touched his arm to calm him. He looked down at her, why was he suddenly so protective? She gave him a weak smile.

"It's fine…" At her words he stood and walked over to the corner and watched as William began talking to Sarah.

"How are you feeling?" He began, showing not the slightest care about Connor's attitude or surprise, which confused Sarah even more.

"Tired, just as Connor said, but I've felt worse." She laughed softly. She knew William was going to explain the strange feeling she was sensing; Connor acting the guard dog and William the caring father figure.

"Desmond tried to use the animus the other day…" He began in a voice that hinted at an unpleasant explanation.

"William, just spit it out. Of all the shit we've been through I think I can handle whatever it is you're going to tell me." Sarah complained, her weariness causing her to become cranky. William held up his hands in mock defense and nodded.

"Desmond tried to enter through Connor's memories, which is how he came to be with us in the first place. Rebecca had been trying to fix the damn thing and when she did, we wasted no time trying to use it again. The animus began to have the same malfunction and tried to pull Connor back to his time. When we heard you screaming, we immediately got Desmond out and found you unconscious and Connor barely able to stand. Sarah, what I'm saying is the animus was pulling you also." He explained, carefully watching her reaction. She lay there, slowing rotating her head away from William to where Connor was stalking the corner. When their eyes met, he stalked over to the bed and practically growled at William.

"Are you done? She needs rest."

"Jesus Connor, she's pregnant not dying." His words covered the room in a thick shroud of silence. It felt so strange to have the truth spread out like a buffet that everyone could pick and taste, deciding what they wanted and what they could ignore. None of this could be disregarded though.

"So it's true then…" Sarah spoke into the vacuum of the room. She felt the eyes of both men on her as she sat up in the bed.

"Yes Sarah, we think you were being pulled because you carry part of Connor." William stated crossing his arms across his chest, clothing himself in his no bullshit suit. She felt Connor cradle her back and apply pressure to her shoulder to force her to lie down.

"Does this mean…I HAVE to go back with him?" She asked the panic rising in her voice. She shrugged Connor's concern away, in her haste for an answer.

"We could raise the child together…." Connor replied, not once shrinking away from fatherhood. She turned toward him at his words, he looked sincere and she believed him, but she didn't belong there with him….or did she?

"Is this what is supposed to happen? Is this child a descent of Desmond's? Am I meant to go?" Sarah asked herself as much as she was asking William and Connor. She felt like her mind and eyes had been closed until this moment, this revelation.

"Juno did tell Desmond to use the animus to return time as it was and shall be. Perhaps that is what she meant. Either way, Connor cannot stay here. "William stated mater-of-factly.

"Do the others know all of this? Did you wait to tell me last?" Sarah questioned, a fury beginning to rise within her chest.

"You were sleeping for over a day, Sarah." William explained, speaking to her like she was a child. She threw the blankets off her legs and stormed over to where her shoes and jacket were.

"What are you doing? Sarah-" Connor began walking toward her as she whirled around the infirmary.

"I need some air." She yelled behind her as she briskly walked out of the area and toward the entrance. Her flurry of movement caught Rebecca's attention as well as Desmond's. They both stood from a computer and watched in an awkward silence.

"Sarah, you can't go outside." William shouted following her, Connor was close behind.

"I will go with her."

"That's an even worse idea."

Sarah and the others had followed Desmond into the cave so she vaguely knew where she was going, but cursed herself in her haste, she had forgotten a flashlight. The soft crunching of gravel underfoot, drew her attention to the person following her. She stopped her angry pace and waited for them to catch up to her. When she felt the gentle pressure of a hand on her shoulder she knew it was Connor.

"Sarah?" He asked, presumably confused as to why she had stopped.

"I can't see where the entrance is…" She replied impatiently. She wanted, no she needed to get away from the confines of everyone for just a short time. The fresh, clean air of outside, it excited her to know it was just beyond a few layers of rock, it was a temptation she had wanted to taste for some time.

"I will find it." He stated, taking her hand in his and leading the way. She didn't have the gift of Eagle Vision, but she knew how it worked. That could be the only way Connor found his way through the impenetrable darkness. He kept a slow pace and she knew it was for her sake.

"Running from your problems will not solve them, it will only prolong them." He stated after a silence had descended upon the two of them.

"I'm not running…I…just need to think away from everyone." She replied, the distance between her and the others already elevating some of her stress. She took his silence as understanding, or perhaps he didn't want to press the issue any further. Either way, she was glad he had joined her, he wasn't berating her, or asking any further questions and his presence had a calming effect.

"I see something ahead." He stated, releasing her hand and moving away from her. She heard him shifting in the blackness and then he returned to her.

"Is the way blocked?

"No, but we will need to crawl underneath." He took her hand again and led her to a wall with a space underneath. She could see a faint light squeezing through the gap Connor had mentioned. His ghostly form inched into her vision as he made his way under the opening, tomahawk in hand. She waited until he gave her the signal that is was safe, and only then did she follow him.

A sweet aroma filled her nostrils and she closed her eyes to focus her senses on that of smell. A drowsy crescent moon hung in the cloud pocked sky, giving some substance and detail to the surrounding woods. She allowed herself to smile as the forest welcomed her with a leaf rustling breeze. She knelt to the ground and buried her hand deep into the moist soil and after taking a small handful, she inhaled the rich scent of earth. The crickets and cicadas played a soothing melody and the soft stepping of a deer nearby was muted by the leaf and grass carpeted forest floor. She felt herself being watched and quickly met Connor's intense stare. He was crouched on a rock far above her head, scanning the area. She couldn't see his face, but she saw his hood aimed in her direction. She blushed and quickly slapped the dirt from her hands. She heard him drop from his perch and approach her.

"The land is not completely how I remember it, but it is familiar here. I have been here before." He whispered next to her.

"Yes, but it is not the same." She made no effort to hide the sorrow in her voice. She was no practicing environmentalist, but she did not approve of the raping of any land anywhere or those who lived upon it. She almost felt a longing to see the world Connor had been born into. Still unspoiled, a young woman relishing in her youth. But knowing what was to come, that pained her a great deal. Could she live in such a world, having such knowledge of the future?

"You are unhappy here." It was a statement, not a question.

"Not with what I am doing. I believe in the Brotherhood, it is my life. Our cause is the right one, what we fight for…I am an assassin. I am also a doctor, which at times the two things conflict. I must watch as lives are taken in order to help the lives of others. " She answered with conviction, laughing to herself at her ending statement.

"You could return with me…help me rebuild the Brotherhood in this country. I saw the way you reacted when we left the cave, you are not like the others." Connor had turned her to face him and carefully placed his palm against her abdomen. She looked down at his hand and smiled. She slowly placed her hand over his and watched from the corner of her eye as he raised his other hand hesitantly to touch her face.

"Connor…" She began as he leaned forward and stopped any further speaking with his lips. He released his hand from her abdomen and embraced her. He reluctantly broke the moment as though something had suddenly forced him to.

"What is holding you here?" She couldn't answer him. She had little to no contact with her family, and had no thoughts of missing them enough to stay close to them. She had no permanent home, constantly on the move with whatever assassin cell she was currently assisting. But to have a child in a time when medical science was barely beginning to take its first steps was frightening. And the complete absence of any technology. Remembering seeing Connor startled by electricity, made her realize how much she would be leaving behind. Did the cons outweigh the pros? The world was constantly at war, it's inhabitants more concerned with killing themselves then protecting anything beyond their wallets. Connor's world held little difference, but it did hold him. Being an assassin in her world made it difficult to have any kind of relationship beyond that of the Brotherhood. After the tragic betrayal of Daniel Cross, every assassin was basically living as though they were the last people on earth, fighting to survive. With Connor she would never need to hide. He offered not just freedom, but a stability she lacked and suddenly realized; craved. He had never once shown any desire to stay where he currently was, nor had he asked any questions about what had become of people he had known or the world outside. He was bound to another place and he knew it. He wanted her to return to that place with him.

"I don't know…." She admitted, still unsure.

"Are you afraid? You will be safe with me, that I promise ." She didn't know what to say to him. Sarah didn't doubt his words, but she doubted herself.

"Are you two done out here? It's not safe, maybe you've heard of the people hunting us, I think they're called Templars." Desmond spoke, his head poking from underneath the mouth of the cavern Sarah and Connor had passed under to get outside.

"Ok, SHAUN." Sarah retorted, following Desmond as he disappeared back the way he had come. Once they were back inside, Connor grabbed her arm.

"Sarah…"

"Connor, let's finish this another time."

"There might not be another time." She could hear the impatience in his voice.

"What do you want from me?"

"An answer."

"You want me to say yes? What if I don't have a choice and I get sent back with you anyway? It won't make a difference then. What if I already know that is what is going to happen and my answer won't matter?" Sarah snapped; she didn't like being pushed into a corner and forced to decide.

"You do not need to be angry at me. I am here against my will, it is I who should be angry." He hissed disappearing into the darkness. She sighed, cursing her own frustration as she followed the echoing footsteps of Connor and Desmond back to the main section of the cave. William was observing Rebecca as she moved about the animus, he turned at the sound of the trio.

"Are you ready?" He didn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular but he looked at all three of them. Desmond approached his father and Rebecca, who shifted out of the way so he could recline in the chair. Panic rose in Sarah's chest. No! She WASN'T ready.

"Wait…" She said as she walked over to the animus.

"For what? While you were off seeing the sites, Juno reappeared, if we don't send Connor back now, everything we have worked for will have been for nothing." William stated bluntly, his voice spiced with annoyance. Sarah looked away from him to Connor and then to Desmond.

"I am ready." Connor said, ignoring Sarah's stare. William nodded at his comment as Sarah stood over the animus. Desmond met her eyes and gave her an understanding nod as she felt Connor slip his hand into hers. She watched as Desmond closed his eyes and the alarm raced through her veins. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see William, Shaun, and Rebecca. As they gave her encouraging and appreciative glances she felt herself smiling. She faced the corner she had been backed into and spat. Like Desmond she had to make a sacrifice for the Brotherhood, and it pissed her off that she didn't realize that until the end. William was right, if she didn't go now, everything the assassins had fought so hard for, would mean nothing. It was all nothing without Desmond…

"Yes." She uttered feeling the sickening pull and then nothing…

. . .

A soft bed…thick comforting blankets…something cool on her forehead…she slowly dragged her arm from under the bedspread and weakly touched her forehead. A hand gently grasped hers and rubbed her palm.

"Sarah?" A male voice asked in anticipation. The hand that held hers, squeezed urging her to respond. She inhaled deeply, fluttering her eyes open to a sunlit room. Lethargically, she turned her head in the direction the voice came from and was greeted by a hoodless Connor. A smile touched his face as he leaned over her, brushing stray hairs from around her face.

"How are you feeling?" He asked removing the cloth from her forehead.

"Sore…" She rasped, her tongue felt thick and her mouth dry. Her body was slow to react as she tried to sit up in the bed. Her breath caught in her throat several times from the stabs of tender muscles. Connor grabbed another pillow from the other side of the bed and gently placed it behind her back as he assisted her in sitting upright. As she settled more comfortably in the bed, she observed her surroundings not recognizing anything. Some logs burned merrily in a fireplace, snuggled between two windows, against the wall in front of her. A headdress stood proudly on a small table next to one the windows and a desk off to the right held some strange objects she wasn't familiar with. Her eyes jumped to Connor's face in surprise.

"Relax." He spoke calmly, sitting next to her on the bed. She took a breath to compose herself, the full understanding of where she was sinking in.

"Where are we?" She asked in a whisper, already knowing the answer.

"Home." He stated simply, watching for her reaction. That was a word she hadn't heard in…years. A place she could stay and not worry about Templars finding them, at least for now. Seeing that the one word he said did not have a negative response from her, he continued,

"Dr. White wants you to stay in bed for another day."

"He was here…wait, how long have I been here, more importantly how did you explain me?" At her questions, he stood and walked over the window and glanced outside.

"I have been gone for almost a month…I told Dr. White I had found you wounded in the woods and brought you here. We returned the night before last on the road leading here. You were not awake, I carried you here and brought Dr. White to make sure you were not injured. He said you were exhausted." Connor replied poking the fire before coming back to the bed. He was studying her, waiting to see what she would do or say.

"A month? Does Dr. White know…?" She asked, resting her hand on her blanket-covered stomach. Connor shook his head. She let her eyes roam over the room again, taking in every little detail. It seemed like a lifetime since she had slept in an actual room, with windows and a real bed. She felt so tiny, like a toy in a dollhouse, and that was just the upstairs. She knew from Desmond that the home had a huge downstairs and the basement was a training area.

"Are you feeling unwell?" He asked reaching for her arm.

"No…no, just overwhelmed." Sarah couldn't believe she was actually here with him. It seemed so unreal.

"Then rest. I will be downstairs going over the ledger. If you need me…" He loitered in the doorway, taking one last look at her before he left the room. She nodded in response and listened as he walked down the steps. She snuggled into the covers of the bed and smiled contentedly.

"Home." She whispered to herself before drifting off into sleep.


End file.
